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Cassandra Clare wanted something slightly different from her other covers in The Mortal Instruments series. This time, she's added two of the characters {Clary and Simon} with their faces showing. She's stated that this is the second cycle in the series and wanted to distinguish from the first three.

{Notice Clary's bright green eyes and the Morgenstern ring around her neck}

Excerpt from Cassandra's Blog on why there are two characters on the cover with their faces showing.
{I guess she knew we'd all be wondering!}

"Why can you see Clary's face on the COFA cover?" and "Why are there two people on the COFA cover?"

Because City of Fallen Angels, City of Lost Souls and City of Heavenly Fire aren't simply continuations of City of Glass. They're a new trilogy, with a different feeling, and a new villain, and different challenges. That's why the titles are slightly differently composed — four words instead of three — and that's why this cover looks *slightly* different. It needed to be something that recalled the previous covers, but didn't look exactly like them, as that starts to give an old, stale feeling, as well as being misleading.

I specifically asked that we start showing character faces because I thought it would help differentiate TMI Cycle Two from the previous three. Also because, while there have been many lovely covers showing only parts of the characters' faces — it's a trend that started with the Gossip Girl covers — the trend was on its way out, and I didn't want the covers to look dated.

I understand there's a strong *everything should stay exactly the same!* feeling often — that change is bad, etc. etc — but do keep in mind one thing: the people who really have power over covers is bookstores. Bookstore opinions matter more than mine, more than my editor's. And the bookstores love the cover and have in fact reported to us that in the past, fans have complained to them about the faces being cut off.

As for why there are two people, that, again, is part of showing that this is a new trilogy, that it really focuses around these characters as a team. To preserve continuity we had to start the two characters look on this book — without the Clary & Simon cover there would never be a Jace/Clary cover, an Isabelle and Alec cover, a cover, perhaps, with *all the characters .... * (Just throwing those out there, not promising anything!)

And yes. Clary's eyes have always been green. :)

So... what do you guys think of the cover? Do you like seeing their faces?

I'm so excited for this book, it's not even funny. And although I really really like this cover, I actually do prefer when they don't show the full face of the person. Especially the eyes (although Clary's eyes on this cover rock), I like to be able to imagine it all in my head. But, the TMI series has admittedly had the most lovely covers. My fav would be the first, Jace is undoubtedly HOT!

Oh, and Isalys I hope you enjoy City of Ghosts. I finished it up the day after Unholy Magic because well, those books fascinate me. It's freaking amazing. The ending, *sigh*, it's just unbelievable!

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